Richmond Council leader Lord True has celebrated with his party during a mammoth win on election night.

He said: "I always thought we would win. I think it is a comfortable win and it is a great vote of confidence by the public in the borough in the work that the council has been doing in the last four years.

"We are very grateful because it is always harder for an incumbent to get elected for a second term.

"It is the first time since 1978 the Tories have regained control of the borough.

He said: "I hope we can work together a little bit more.

"The Lib Dems are relentlessly negative and a lot in their manifesto was very negative and took an attack dog stance.

"We try to be positive, like Zac Goldsmith. The one thing about him is he is always positive and we try to do that and I think that paid off."

A Liberal Democrat councillor who has represented Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside for 40 years has lost his seat as the Tories look to regain control of the council.

Councillor David Williams, who has been elected since 1974, lost his seat to the Conservatives.

Lib Dem councillor Brian Miller also lost his seat but Penny Frost was voted in for the yellows.

Comments (1)

Congratulations to all the candidates - not least Mike Bangham of the Green Party who beat not only the Labour but also the Liberal Democrat candidates in his ward (Hampton Wick.)

Congratulations to all the candidates - not least Mike Bangham of the Green Party who beat not only the Labour but also the Liberal Democrat candidates in his ward (Hampton Wick.)James Page (Green Party)